Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Shakhty

For one person, living is cheaper in Shakhty: $1,073 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Shakhty
Learn more

Shakhty Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,922

/mo nomad

Shakhty

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,073

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Shakhty

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Moscow and in Shakhty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,922 per month in Moscow vs $1,073 in Shakhty, rent included.

Moscow $1,922
Shakhty $1,073

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Moscow vs $1,683 in Shakhty, rent included.

Moscow $2,941
Shakhty $1,683

A family of three spends $3,960 per month in Moscow vs $2,293 in Shakhty, rent included.

Moscow $3,960
Shakhty $2,293

Moscow costs about 79% more than Shakhty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Moscow sits 41% above the global median, while Shakhty is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 ₽1,008

$11.55 ₽932

8.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₽4,939

$37.49 ₽3,024

63.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ₽617

$6.29 ₽507

21.62%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₽309

$2.71 ₽218

41.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₽140

$1.12 ₽90.2

55.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽68.8

$0.62 ₽50.0

37.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 ₽390

$1.77 ₽143

172.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 ₽417

$3.06 ₽247

68.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽107

$1.12 ₽90.1

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₽84.0

$0.75 ₽60.4

38.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽143

$1.38 ₽111

28.26%

Eggs

$2.02 ₽163

$1.56 ₽125

29.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 ₽1,216

$11.22 ₽905

34.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 ₽553

$5.41 ₽436

26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ₽1,233

$11.57 ₽933

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₽173

$1.78 ₽144

20.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽148

$1.79 ₽144

2.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₽164

$1.75 ₽141

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ₽334

$2.78 ₽224

48.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₽76.0

$0.78 ₽63.3

20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 ₽62.0

$0.62 ₽49.87

24.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽137

$1.30 ₽105

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽81.3

$0.71 ₽57.3

42.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 ₽299

$3.02 ₽244

22.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₽986

$7.73 ₽623

58.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₽102

$1.11 ₽89.9

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₽220

$1.99 ₽161

37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.53 ₽42.60

81.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.33 ₽3,494

$27.94 ₽2,253

55.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 ₽296

$2.36 ₽191

55.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₽67.6

$0.38 ₽30.39

121.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 ₽994

$5.90 ₽476

108.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.82 ₽66.2

17.07%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.4K ₽3.7M

$52.2K ₽4.2M

-13.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.2K ₽3.3M

$39.9K ₽3.2M

3.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$199 ₽16.0K

$123 ₽9,905

61.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.04 ₽729

$6.27 ₽506

44.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 ₽810

$8.60 ₽693

16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ₽3,589

$36.16 ₽2,916

23.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.40 ₽3,823

$23.72 ₽1,913

99.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ₽777

$6.28 ₽506

53.34%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$898 ₽72.4K

$357 ₽28.8K

151.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K ₽2.4M

$6,390 ₽515.4K

358.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 ₽9,411

$82.4 ₽6,642

41.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ₽5,595

$53.0 ₽4,275

30.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 ₽12.3K

$121 ₽9,776

26.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 ₽15.1K

$106 ₽8,524

77.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₽123.6K

$481 ₽38.8K

218.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 ₽69.4K

$315 ₽25.4K

172.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,127 ₽252.2K

$900 ₽72.5K

247.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 ₽125.1K

$584 ₽47.1K

165.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽845.5K

$2,280 ₽183.9K

359.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ₽401.7K

$1,516 ₽122.3K

228.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ₽145.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.58

21.45

-8.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$860 44.7%

Shakhty

$315 29.4% 63.4% $545

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$274 14.3%

Shakhty

$209 19.4% 23.9% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$237 12.3%

Shakhty

$163 15.2% 31.3% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$218 11.3%

Shakhty

$138 12.8% 36.8% $80

Eating Out

Moscow

$214 11.1%

Shakhty

$166 15.4% 22.5% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$64 3.3%

Shakhty

$49 4.5% 23.6% $15

Getting Around

Moscow

$55 2.9%

Shakhty

$34 3.2% 37.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,533 in Moscow versus $481 in Shakhty. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Moscow versus $37 in Shakhty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $209 – making Shakhty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Shakhty

🕒 Local time

22:58 10:58 PM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

235,492

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Moscow Shakhty 910 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Shakhty

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Moscow vs Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 79% more than Shakhty, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,883 per month in Moscow and $1,610 in Shakhty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shakhty, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Shakhty. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $898 per month in Moscow and $357 in Shakhty. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Shakhty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Shakhty is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.